RPM
Track live speed using the vibration signature created while the top is running.
TopSpin 1.0 ยท Android
Measure the spin, not just the time.
TopSpin turns an Android phone into a compact spinning-top test instrument, measuring RPM, elapsed spin time, decay and relative vibration across the full run.
TopSpin is live on Google Play
Download TopSpin for Android and start measuring RPM, vibration, spin decay, and full-run performance with the phone you already have.
A measuring app for people who care about the details.
Spin time is only one part of performance. TopSpin lets you see the speed curve and the vibration behaviour together, so repeated launches and different tops can be compared on more than a single finish time.
Spin time and decay
Follow the full run, total elapsed time, and how quickly RPM falls as the top slows.
Relative vibration
Watch the VIBES trace for quiet sections, launch behaviour and repeatable vibration landmarks.
Repeatable comparison
Run the same top more than once, compare the graphs, then share completed screenshots to the results database.
Simple physical setup
Support the phone on soft pads or foam, use the bubble level to get the phone and spinning surface flat, then spin on a small clean concave glass or another suitable surface.
Phone, soft support, and concave glass
Support the phone securely, level it with the on-screen bubble, then place a clean stable spinning surface on the phone. A small concave glass or lens works well.
Real workshop test setup
The exact support can be simple. The useful parts are a level phone, a clean spinning surface, good vibration coupling and a setup that stays still through the run.
- Level and settle the setup Press START while preparing the phone, centre the bubble, and aim for a low steady VIBES floor before the run.
- Reset, spin, then start Press RESET, launch the top, let it settle for a second or two, then press START to begin the measured run.
- Let TopSpin record the finish Keep the phone and table still. Turn AUTO STOP on if you want the app to detect the end of the spin automatically.
Test photos and app snapshots
These images show the real phone setup and the TopSpin interface during a run. They are useful for explaining how the physical test arrangement connects to the live RPM, vibration, and decay data.
Live run dashboard
TopSpin combines RPM, elapsed time, decay, vibration, material notes, and calculated values into one screen.
End-of-run comparison
Later in the run, changes in RPM and vibration help show how the top behaves as it slows down.
A simple known-speed sanity check
A steady rotating machine makes a useful reference because its speed does not decay like a free-spinning top. In this bench check, a Verbatim 47551 mechanical hard drive rated at 5400 RPM repeatedly settled at 5407 RPM in TopSpin.
Known nominal speed
The Verbatim 47551 is a 5400 RPM mechanical HDD, giving TopSpin a steady rotating source to follow.
Repeatable tracking
Across repeated runs the detected speed returned to 5407 RPM and held there for minutes at a time.
Vibration stays separate
Table bumps appear clearly in the VIBES trace without pulling the RPM reading away from the spindle frequency.
Useful testing notes
The best comparisons come from treating the setup like a small measuring instrument. Level it, clean the tip and glass, keep outside vibration low, and use a repeatable launch.
Repeatable starts
A consistent launch makes comparisons more useful than one-off spin time records.
Clean tip and glass
Small changes at the contact point can change both spin time and the vibration trace, so clean surfaces help comparisons.
Keep the setup still
A bump can add a large vibration event or end a run early. Avoid touching the phone, glass, table or supports once measurement starts.
TopSpin questions
A quick guide for Android users, spinning top collectors, and makers who want to test spin time, RPM behaviour, vibration, and repeatability.
Is TopSpin on Google Play?
Yes. TopSpin is available now on Google Play for Android. Open the Play Store listing and install it directly.
What does TopSpin measure?
TopSpin measures elapsed spin time, RPM, spin decay and relative vibration, then plots the run for repeatable comparisons.
Do I need special hardware?
No electronic accessory is required. Use an Android phone and a suitable spinning surface. A small concave glass on a softly supported, level phone is a practical setup.
Explore the workshop behind the app
TopSpin sits beside the physical side of Desire3D: machined tops, material testing, sensor experiments, and practical workshop development.
The science of sensing
How phone sensors can read vibration and reveal behaviour during a spin.
Read the scienceSpinning tops
Balance, materials, surface contact, and the long history of tops as precision objects.
Learn about topsGallery
Photos and videos of finished tops, machining, testing, and workshop experiments.
View the galleryCommunity results
Browse real submitted TopSpin runs grouped by top name, with the original screenshots kept beside the data.
Browse TopSpin resultsPrecision tops, measured properly.
TopSpin is part of the same workshop process as the tops themselves: design, make, measure, compare and keep improving.